Gaza's Rafah border crossing has reopened but few people get through

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — When the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt finally reopened this week, Palestinian officials heralded it as a “window of hope” after two years of war as a fragile ceasefire deal moves forward.

But that hope has been sidetracked by disagreements over who should be allowed through, hourslong delays and Palestinian travelers' reports of being handcuffed and interrogated by Israeli soldiers.

Far fewer people than expected have crossed in both directions. Restrictions negotiated by Israeli, Egyptian, Palestinian and international officials meant that only 50 people would be allowed to return to Gaza each day and 50 medical patients — along with two companions for each — would be allowed to leave.

But over the first four days of operations, just 36 Palestinians requiring medical care were allowed to leave for Egypt, plus 62 companions, according to United Nations data. Palestinian officials say nearly 20,000 people in Gaza are seeking to leave for medical care that they say is not available in the war-shattered territory.

Amid confusion around the reopening, the Rafah crossing was closed Friday and Saturday.

The Rafah crossing is a lifeline for Gaza, providing the only link to the outside world not controlled by Israel. Israel seized it in May 2024, though traffic through the crossing was heavily restricted even before that.

Several women who managed to return to Gaza after its reopening recounted to The Associated Press harsh treatment by Israeli authorities and an Israeli-backed Palestinian armed group, Abu Shabab. A European Union mission and Palestinian officials run the border crossing, and Israel has its screening facility some distance away.

Rana al-Louh, anxious to return two years after fleeing to Egypt with her wounded sister, said Israeli screeners asked multiple times why she wanted to go back to Gaza during questioning that lasted more than six hours. She said she was blindfolded and handcuffed, an allegation made by others.

“I told them I returned to Palestine because my husband and kids are there,” al-Louh said. Interrogators told her Gaza belonged to Israel and that “the war would return, that Hamas won’t give up its weapons. I told him I didn’t care, I wanted to return.”

Asked about such reports, Israel's military replied that "no incidents of inappropriate conduct, mistreatment, apprehensions or confiscation of property by the Israeli security establishment are known.”

The Shin Bet intelligence agency and COGAT, the Israeli military body that handles Palestinian civilian affairs and coordinates the crossings, did not respond to questions about the allegations.

The long questioning Wednesday delayed the return to Gaza of al-Louh and others until nearly 2 a.m. Thursday.

Later that day, U.N. human rights officials noted a “consistent pattern of ill-treatment, abuse and humiliation by Israeli military forces.”

“After two years of utter devastation, being able to return to their families and what remains of their homes in safety and dignity is the bare minimum,” Ajith Sunghay, the agency’s human rights chief for the occupied Palestinian territories, said in a statement.

Officials who negotiated the Rafah reopening were clear that the early days of operation would be a pilot. If successful, the number of people crossing could increase.

Challenges quickly emerged. On the first day, Monday, Israeli officials said 71 patients and companions were approved to leave Gaza, with 46 Palestinians approved to enter. Inside Gaza, however, organizers with the World Health Organization were able to arrange transportation for only 12 people that day, so other patients stayed behind, according to a person briefed on the operations who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Israeli officials insisted that no Palestinians would be allowed to enter Gaza until all the departures were complete. Then they said that since only 12 people had left Gaza, only 12 could enter, leaving the rest to wait on the Egyptian side of the border overnight, according to the person briefed on the operations.

Crossings picked up on the second day, when 40 people were allowed to leave Gaza and 40 to enter. But delays mounted as many returning travelers had more luggage than set out in the agreement reached by negotiators and items that were forbidden, including cigarettes and water and other liquids like perfume. Each traveler is allowed to carry one mobile phone and a small amount of money if they submit a declaration 24 hours ahead of travel.

Each time a Palestinian was admitted to Egypt, Israeli authorities allowed one more into Gaza, drawing out the process.

The problems continued Wednesday and Thursday, with the numbers allowed to cross declining. The bus carrying Wednesday's returnees from the crossing did not reach its drop-off location in Gaza until 1:40 a.m. Thursday.

Still, some Palestinians said they were grateful to have made the journey.

As Siham Omran’s return to Gaza stretched into early Thursday, she steadied herself with thoughts of her children and husband, whom she had not seen for 20 months. She said she was exhausted, and stunned by Gaza’s devastation.

“This is a journey of suffering. Being away from home is difficult,” she said. “Thank God we have returned to our country, our homes, and our homeland.”

Now she shares a tent with 15 family members, using her blouse for a pillow.

Elhennawy reported from Cairo and Geller from New York. Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Siham Omran, 54, recently returned from Egypt after completing medical treatment, cooks food over a fire beside her tent in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Siham Omran, 54, recently returned from Egypt after completing medical treatment, cooks food over a fire beside her tent in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Rana al-Louh, 45, sits with her granddaughter, Sumaya Abu Suleiman, 3, inside the tent where they live, which had been erected in a schoolyard converted into a shelter in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Siham Omran, 54, recently returned from Egypt after completing her medical treatment, looks at the tents of displaced people next to her that were set up in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians carry the belongings of relatives arriving in Gaza from Egypt following the long-awaited reopening of the Rafah border crossing, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, early Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians patients and their relatives gather to board a bus in Khan Younis before they head to the Rafah crossing, leaving the Gaza Strip for medical treatment abroad, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Robert MacIntyre added the Valero Texas Open this year to be sharp for the Masters, and he looked every bit of that Friday with four birdies in his last five holes for an 8-under 64 and a four-shot lead over Ryder Cup teammate Ludvig Aberg.

MacIntyre felt comfortable with his swing from start, taking advantage of a back nine that included a hybrid that rolled out to 8 feet for eagle on the par-5 14th.

What made the difference was his finish, with all four of the Scot's birdies from 10 feet or closer.

He was in the same group as Aberg, whose 67 included holing out with a wedge from 120 yards for eagle on the par-4 sixth. The Swede's only disappointing was missing the fairway on his final hole at No. 9 and three-putting from 100 feet.

MacIntyre was at 14-under 130.

“I didn’t play last year, just went straight into Augusta. This was an adjustment for that reason,” MacIntyre said. “I wanted to be sharp — or sharper — going into Augusta.”

The Texas Open is the last chance for so many others to get into the Masters with a win, though MacIntyre is starting to make those odds seem a little bit longer.

Tony Finau, who hasn't missed the Masters since 2017, was one shot out of the lead going into the second round when he had three bogeys in six holes at the start. He had to rally for a 69, which included a 35-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th. That put him five shots behind, along with Kevin Roy, Bud Cauley and Thorbjorn Olesen.

“It was nice to make an eagle on the last,” Finau said. “I hit a really good drive, pushed my second shot a little, got lucky, covered the water and was able to roll that one in. Sometimes those are the small little breaks that you need to be towards the top of the leaderboard.”

Mark Hubbard, who led after 18 holes with a 65, followed that with a 77 to make the cut on the number at 2-under 142. He went from one shot ahead to 12 shots behind.

Aberg said he has moved on from his rough back nine that cost him at The Players Championship two weeks ago. He has another chance over the final 36 holes at the TPC San Antonio, and that's all that mattered to him.

“I feel great. I feel like I’ve been playing good golf,” Aberg said. “For me, golf is about putting yourself in situations where you can win tournaments. I feel like I haven’t really done that very well the last 12 months or so, but starting to see it now, which has been really nice. So I’m looking forward to one more shot at it this week.”

MacIntyre is trying to become the third straight left-handed player to win the Texas Open, following Brian Harman last year and Akshay Bhatia in 2024.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Hideki Matsuyama watches his drive during the second round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament in San Antonio, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

Dylan Wu lies down for a better angle during the second round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament in San Antonio, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

Robert MacIntyre hits onto the green on hole 1 during the second round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament in San Antonio, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)

Ludvig Aberg waves to fans during the second round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament in San Antonio, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The San Antonio Express-News via AP)